Realtime service system using the interactive data communication and method thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a real-time service system and method using an interactive data communication for implementing a high quality real time interactive service of a DVD class for various contents with by means of smooth interactive communication between a service provider and a user. The system comprises: a plurality of digital set-top boxes of users for replaying service contents selected by the user in real time through a television by being supplied through a telephone line of a very high-data rate digital subscriber line (VDSL); a number of system operating device installed by a predetermined region unit and connected to the plurality of digital set-top boxes of the users in a corresponding region via a telephone line of the VDSL for supplying the service contents required at a corresponding set-top box in real time by the interactive data communication with an arbitrary digital set-top box; and a service providing device for storing various service contents received from a contents providing device and for supplying the corresponding service contents to a corresponding system operating device in real time in response to a service content request from the system operating device inputted through the Internet. It can overcome the limit of a conventional Internet network in speed by employing VDSL transmission method through a system operating device of a system operator as a franchise of a cyber marker and, at the same time, enables a smooth interactive communication between a service providing device of a service provider and a digital set-top box of a user, thereby realizing a high quality real time interactive service of a DVD class for various contents.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a real-time service system using aninteractive data communication and a method thereof, and, moreparticularly, to a system and a method for implementing a high qualityvideo on demand (VOD) service of a digital video disk (DVD) class andother various services in real-time by realizing a maximum downstreamrate of 25 Mbps and a data rate of 12 Mbps for simultaneous interactivecommunication based on a very high-data rate digital subscriber line(VDSL) by using a conventional optical communication network andtelephone line.

BACKGROUND ART

A content provider or a service provider has distributed a video ondemand (VOD) service utilizing a conventional Internet unilaterally. Inorder to smoothly communicate the VOD image service, it is required torealize a high rate communication of more than 4 Mbps, whereas anasymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) has a limit in smoothlyimplementing a practical VOD image service.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentionedproblems of the prior arts and to provide a real-time service systemusing an interactive data communication for implementing a high qualityreal time interactive service of a DVD class for various contents withby means of smooth interactive communication between a service providerand a user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a real-timeservice method using an interactive data communication for implementinga high quality real time interactive service of a DVD class for variouscontents with by means of smooth interactive communication between aservice provider and a user.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a real-time servicesystem using an interactive data communication in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention, the system comprising: aplurality of digital set-top boxes of users for replaying servicecontents selected by the user in real time through a television by beingsupplied through a telephone line of a very high-data rate digitalsubscriber line (VDSL); a number of system operating device installed bya predetermined region unit and connected to the plurality of digitalset-top boxes of the users in a corresponding region via a telephoneline of the VDSL for supplying the service contents required at acorresponding set-top box in real time by the interactive datacommunication with an arbitrary digital set-top box; and a serviceproviding device for storing various service contents received from acontents providing device and for supplying the corresponding servicecontents to a corresponding system operating device in real time inresponse to a service content request from the system operating deviceinputted through the Internet. There is provided a method forimplementing a real-time service system using an interactive datacommunication in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,the method comprising the steps of: displaying an initial screenrepresenting categories for a plurality of allowable service contents ona monitor of a television related to the digital set-top box in responseto the power on of the digital set-top box of a user; if one of theplurality of categories is selected, transmitting a selection signalcorresponding to the selected category created at the digital set-topbox to a service providing device through a system operating device anddisplaying detailed selection items of the selected category on themonitor of the television; if one of the plurality of detailed selectionitems is selected, generating a selection signal corresponding to theselection result at the digital set-top box and transmitting thegenerated signal to the service providing device through the systemoperating device; transmitting the service contents based on theselection signal to a corresponding digital set-top box through theservice providing device; and replaying the service contents by thetelevision related to the digital set-top box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of preferredembodiments of the present invention will be more fully described in thefollowing detailed description, taken accompanying drawings. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for representing a structure of a real-timeservice system using an interactive data communication in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of aservice-providing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of asystem-operating device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a digitalset-top box shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 to 8 are flow charts showing a personal video recorder (PVR)function of the digital set-top box shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a real-time service method using aninteractive data communication in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a real-time service system using an interactive datacommunication and a method thereof in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present invention will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a real-timeservice system using an interactive data communication in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the system includesa plurality of digital set-top boxes 400 of users for replaying servicecontents selected by the user in real time through a television by beingsupplied through a telephone line of a very high-data rate digitalsubscriber line (VDSL), a number of system operating devices 300installed by a predetermined region unit and connected to the pluralityof digital set-top boxes 400 of the users in a corresponding region viaa telephone line of the VDSL for supplying the service contents requiredat a corresponding digital set-top box in real time by the interactivedata communication with an arbitrary digital set-top box and a serviceproviding device 100 for storing various service contents received froma contents providing device 70 and for supplying the correspondingservice contents to the corresponding system operating device 300 inreal time in response to a request of service contents from the systemoperating device 300 inputted through the Internet 200.

In the real time service system, the contents providing device 70 ismanaged by a content provider, the service providing device 100 ismanaged by a service provider and the system operating device 300 ismanaged by a system operator, i.e., an operator of a cyber shopping mallwho has the right of trade.

In FIG. 1, although two system operating devices 300 are described forthe sake of explanation, the real time service system can employ furthersystem operating devices, wherein each of the two system operatingsystems 300 is capable of implementing an interactive data communicationwith hundreds of digital set-top boxes 400. And, it is possible toconstruct each system operating devices 300 in such a way that it canimplement an interactive data communication with thousands of digitalset-top boxes 400 as well as to be expanded.

As shown in FIG. 2, the service providing device 100 includes a firststoring blocks 110, 112 and 114 for storing contents related to variousservice, streaming servers 116, 118 and 120 for transmitting the servicecontents stored at the first storing blocks 110, 112 and 114 to thesystem operating devices 300 through the Internet and for inputting theservice contents inputted thereto into the first storing blocks 110, 112and 114, a switching block 122 installed between the first storingblocks 110, 112 and 114 and the streaming servers 116, 118 and 120 forswitching movements of the service contents between the first storingblocks 110, 112 and 114 and the streaming servers 116, 118 and 120, aweb/database server 124 for transferring various service contentssupplied from the contents providing device 70 through the Internet tothe streaming servers 116, 118 and 120, a second storing block 128 forstoring additional information, for example, the serial number andposition of each service contents, interface information of each serviceoperating device, interface information of the contents providingdevice, charging information and information required for the operationof the other service providing devices, of the service contents storedat the first storing blocks 110, 112 and 114 and a manager personalcomputer (PC) 126 for implementing search, insert, delete, update andreconstruction for the additional information stored at the secondstoring block 128 by sending a data manipulation language (DML) to theweb/database server 124.

It is possible to construct the switching block 122 as a storage areanetwork (SAN), and also in the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, although it is called as a SAN switching block, it is notlimited thereto, but commonly designates switching functions and devicesfor accessing various memories.

The Internet coupled to the web/database server 124 connects theservice-providing device 100 to the contents providing device 70 eachother and the Internet 200 coupled to the streaming servers 116, 118 and120 connects the service providing device 100 to the system operatingdevice 300.

And, the first storing blocks 110, 112 and 114 representing alarge-scale memory can be expanded in case of need and can be used asone storing space by the aid of the switching block 122. That is, thefirst storing blocks 110, 112 and 114 are separated to a multiple numberin a physical sense, but they are one storing space in a logical sense.

The service providing device 100 stores a movie or a valuable datareceived from the contents providing device 70 into the first storingblocks 110, 112 and 114 and the switching block 122 and the plurality ofstoring blocks are required since the stored contents are at least from10 megabits to several gigabits.

Referring to FIG. 2, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, the switching block 122 transfers the servicecontents between the first storing blocks 110, 112 and 114 and thestreaming servers 116, 118 and 120 by a fiber channel. Here, althoughthe preferred embodiment of the present invention exemplifies the fiberchannel, it is possible to replace the fiber channel with anotherchannel for implementing the same function of the fiber channel.

And also, the streaming servers 116, 118 and 120 supply the servicecontents to various positions of the system operating device 300 at thesame time by using a method for reproducing a voice, an image and ananimation or the like on the Internet in real time.

In accordance with the service providing device 100 shown in FIG. 2, forexample, if the contents providing device 70 supplies a content of moviesuch as a “Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away)” to the serviceproviding device 100, the service providing device 100 stores thecontent of movie such as “Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away)”supplied from the contents providing device 70 to the first storingblocks 110, 112 and 114.

That is, if the service providing device 100 receives the content ofmovie such as “Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away)” suppliedfrom the contents providing device 70 through the Internet, theweb/database server 124 stores the content of movie such as “Sen toChihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away)” to one of the first storingblocks 110, 112 and 114 through the switching block 122. And, anadditional information, i.e., a position at which the content of moviesuch as “Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away)” is located and aserial number, an interface information for each of the system operatingdevices, an interface information for the contents providing device 70and other various interface information required for the operation ofthe service providing devices 100, is stored at the second storing block128 through a small computer system interface (SCSI). And then, themanager PC (126) implements search, insert, delete, update andreconstruction for the data stored at the second storing block 128 bysending a data manipulation language (DML) to the web/database server124 and the web/database server 124 processes the implemented data intoa database and sends the result to the second storing block 128.

Also, while the preferred embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed with respect to the SCSI, other modifications and variationsof the interface may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the system operating device 300 includes a storingblock 312 for storing service contents supplied from the serviceproviding device 100, a media server 310 connected to the Internet by acable or an optical cable for receiving the service contents suppliedfrom the service providing device 100 and for temporally storing thesame at the storing block 312 and outputting the same, a multi-pointdistribution unit 314 for setting a plurality of transmission paths forthe service contents outputted from the media server 310 and outputtingthe same and a private branch exchange 316 for transmitting the servicecontents from the multi-point distribution unit 314 to a correspondingdigital set-top box 400 through the telephone line.

An x digital subscriber line (xDSL) shown in FIG. 3 means variousdigital subscriber lines and is one of transmission methods forrealizing the broadband of subscriber network to additionally secure ahigh speed data line by using an existing copper subscriber line. Thatis, the optical cables are installed from the central offices to denseregions and the existing copper telephone lines are utilized from thedense regions to the subscribers, thereby providing the existingtelephone service as well as various multimedia services such as a veryhigh speed Internet, a video on demand (VOD), a cable television (CATV)or the like.

In the specification, the xDSL can include an asymmetric digitalsubscriber line (ADSL), a symmetric digital subscriber line (SDSL), ahigh-data rate digital subscriber line (HDSL), a broadband digitalsubscriber line (BDSL) or the like.

The media server 310 which is connected to the streaming servers 116,118 and 120 of the service providing device 100 by connecting throughthe cable or the optical cable receives the service contents and storesthe received service contents at the storing block 312. And, the mediaserver 310 incorporates therein the function of a voice over Internetprotocol (VOIP) router to implement the VOIP service.

And, the multi-point distribution unit 314 and the media server 310 areconnected to each other through a communication line. That is, the mediaserver 310 and the multi-point distribution unit 314 are connected toeach other through a dedicated line such as a packet communicationnetwork provided by the public communication provider, a packetswitching network, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) or thelike at a transmission rate in the order of gigabits.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a very high-data rate digitalsubscriber line (VDSL) which is one of high data rate digitaltransmission methods employing a telephone line, it can transmit thehigh-rate data asymmetrically in a section having a short transmissiondistance in comparison with an ADSL as a conventional digital subscriberline. And, the private branch exchange 316 shown in FIG. 3 is connectedto the telephone lines of each subscriber's home.

The service providing device 100 employs a push method for automaticallytransmitting internal information to the clients spontaneously withoutoperating the search of user at the client end in the Internet 200 as amethod for providing the service contents to the system operating device300. And, a pull method for searching the information of the serviceproviding device 300 by the search operation of the user at the clientend is employed as the method for providing the service contents to thesystem operating device 300, in the pull method the system operator 300requires the service contents to the service providing device 100.

And, the digital set-top box 400 as shown in FIG. 4 includes a pluralityof analog/digital converting blocks 10, 12, 14 and 16 for digitalconverting by receiving audio/image signals from a plurality ofaudio/image input sources, e.g., a television tuner 5, a movie camera,VTR, a cable broadcast, a satellite broadcast, a charged coupled display(CCD) camera, mike or the like, an audio/video switching block 18 foroutputting an audio/image signal of anyone channel selected from theplurality of channels of audio/image signals supplied from the pluralityof analog/digital converting blocks 10, 12, 14 and 16 through a storingsignal output port Q1 and for outputting the plurality of channels ofaudio/image signals and the audio/image signals decoded by a movingpicture expert group (MPEG) through a plurality of audio/image signaloutput ports Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6, an MPEG encoder 20 for MPEG encodingby receiving the audio/image signals outputted through the storingsignal output port Q1 of the audio/video switching block 18, a storingblock 22 in the form of hard disk drive (HDD) for storing the MPEGencoded audio/image signals by the MPEG encoder 20 and for storing MPEGcontents inputted through the VDSL line or the LAN line, a subsidiarycontrol block 24 for storing the output data from the MPEG encoder 20and the MPEG contents inputted through the VDSL line or the LAN line tothe storing block 22 and for outputting the data stored at the storingblock 22, a main control block 26 for supplying a control signalrequired for storing and outputting the data to the storing block 22 andfor controlling a corresponding operation based on a remote controlsignal from a remote controller (not shown) of a remote controllerreceiving block 44, an MPEG decoder 28 for transmitting the dataoutputted from the subsidiary control block 24 to the audio/videoswitching block 18 by MPEG decoding, a screen generation block 30 foremploying an image signal of anyone channel among the plurality ofchannels of image signals from the audio/video switching block 18 as amain screen and for employing the other channels of the image signals asa subsidiary screen, an OSD synthesizing block 32 for realizing anappropriate graphic OSD on the screen from the screen generation block30 by comparing a content of a 24 bit overlay memory (not shown) of RGB8:8:8 with a specific color key value, i.e., a color value correspondingto an OSD character or a picture required to the screens to be printed,a video output block 34 for displaying the image screen from the OSDsynthesizing block 32 to a television monitor (not shown), an audiodigital/analog converting block 36 for converting the audio signals ofthe active channels to the main screen supplied from the audio/videoswitching block 18, an audio output block 38 for outputting the soundfrom the audio digital/analog converting block 36 to outside through atelevision speaker (not shown), a random access memory (RAM) 40 forstoring a code of an operating program required to the digital set-topbox and a read only memory (ROM) 42 for storing all of programs relatedto the driving and the controlling of the digital set-top box inaccordance with the present invention.

Here, the audio/video switching block 18, the subsidiary control block24 and the OSD synthesizing block 32 are a field programmable gate array(FPGA) in the form of a logic chip capable of programming.

And, the main control block 26 and the subsidiary block 24 arecommunicated with each other through a local bus 46. The ROM 42additionally stores personal information, e.g., name, address, theinformation of credit card, identification (ID) card information or thelike, of the user of a corresponding digital set-top box.

The personal information can be stored at a memory including anadditional magnetic card, an IC card or hardware or the like and adevice to access the personal information, i.e., a card read block 56 asshown in FIG. 4, is attached to the set-top box of the present inventionto be utilized as security and charging information.

And also, the audio/video output means for outputting the audio andimage of the plurality channels outputted from the audio/video switchingblock 18 in response to a selection condition of the user due to thecontrol of the main control block 26 includes the screen generationblock 30, the OSD synthesizing block 32, the video output block 34, theaudio digital/analog converting block 36 and the audio output block 38as shown in FIG. 4.

And, the MPEG encoder 20 incorporates therein a buffer (not shown) inthe form of a first input first out (FIFO) method and accesses thebuffer of the MPEG encoder 20 at the subsidiary control block 24 and themain control block 26 processes only the control order. The main controlblock 26 processes only the control order and address index for thestoring block 22, and the subsidiary control block 24 charges theremaining the load related to the large amount of burst.

The signal received at the remote controller receiving block 44 can bean infrared ray signal as well as a radio signal such as a highfrequency, a low frequency or the like.

And also, the VDSL line shown in FIG. 4 is a telephone line and the VDSLline realizes the VOD, whereas the LAN line is an Internet line and twoInternet lines configure the LAN line. A network interface cards 48, 50and 52 are installed between the VDSL line and the two LAN line and thelocal BUS 46. The network interface cards 48, 50 and 52 allow thedigital set-top box to be always connected with the network. In thenetwork interface cards 50 and 52 connected to the two Internet lines,network address translation (NAT) function is assigned to utilize as ahome gateway device. That is, if the user is not in VDSL environment,the user can use the digital set-top box of the present invention bydirectly connecting the Internet lines, i.e., LAN lines.

And, in the ROM 42 shown in FIG. 4, the digital set-top box incorporatestherein a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) software to implement theVOIP function, in order to implement the VOIP function, one of outputterminals of subscriber line interface circuits 54 is connected to thelocal bus 46 and the other output terminal is connected to theaudio/video switching block 18.

And also, although it is not shown in the drawings of the presentinvention, in the digital set-top box a device can be expanded to accessa memory such as a magnetic card, an IC card and a similar hardware orthe like and can be provided with a device for supplying USB port or thelike.

The SLIC 54 outputs converted digital audio signals by converting theanalog audio signal inputted thereto into the converted digital audiosignals, the digital audio signals outputted from the output terminal ofthe SLIC 54 are inputted to the audio/video switching block 18 as wellas inputted to the main control block 26 through the local BUS 46.

If the power of the digital set-top box is on in the main control block26, after the VOIP software stored at the ROM 42 to the RAM 40, the VOIPfunction are controlled based on the VOIP software. Therefore, thedigital set-top box shown in FIG. 4 can play the role of a VOIP phone.That is, in the digital set-top box in FIG. 4, the VOIP function isincorporated therein to transmit the voice and image by using IP.

Referring to FIG. 4, the audio/image signals inputted from theaudio/image input sources, i.e., the analog/digital converting blocks10, 12, 14 and 16, consist of an RCA input and a super video and onlyone audio/image signal from one of the four input sources is stored atthe storing block 22 via the MPEG encoder 20 and the subsidiary controlblock 24 in response to the control signal of the main control block 26.And, since the four input sources are transmitted the screen generationblock 30 in real time, the combination of three channels is displayed atmaximum during the display of the stored contents.

The digital set-top box shown in FIG. 4 can be employed at VDSLtelephone environment or LAN environment capable of implementing ahigh-data rate communication at a maximum of 25 megabits per second inone direction and 12 megabits per second in bi-direction, if the networkis selected, a current content information is updated through a server(not shown) and a required data is supplied by a request of the user.And also, in order to smoothly process a multi-task, after the datainputted through the network stores at the storing block 22 as a harddisk drive (HDD) so as to implement a time buffering, by reading thedata from the storing block 22, the read data are transmitted to thescreen generation block 30 through the MPEG decoder 28 and theaudio/video switching block 18.

In accordance with the digital set-top box shown in FIG. 4 configured asdescribed above, a conventional PVR function as well as various contentsis sufficiently supplied by the VDSL line or the LAN line, and theoutputs thereof are allowable.

And, VOD service categorized into contents, an artificial intelligenceinteractive education service for an education on demand, a homeshopping service, a remote monitoring service, a telemedicine service, avisual telephone service, a regional portal service, an Internettelephone service, a home automation service or the like are allowed byutilizing the digital set-top box.

The PVR function enables a viewer of television to digitally record andreplay TV broadcasts and includes various features such as pauseviewing, search, resume viewing, skip ahead, skip back, back to thepoint at which a live television broadcast is played, slow motion, genresearch with a time schedule received by using an electronic programguide, and time schedule search.

The artificial intelligence interactive education service includes aservice capable of suggesting a contest of a predetermined test andsuggests an appropriate education program in response to the test resultwhen the user, e.g., a learner, selects the content of education amongthe VOD service categories.

The home shopping service supplies the purchase information of a goods,e.g., a character and an affiliated specific goods, appearing during theshow time of the VOD as well as supplies in the form of screen, wherebythe consumer easily purchases various goods and charging between theconsumer and the buyer are automatically realized by an automaticcharging function.

The remote monitoring service means a service capable of inspecting byconnecting to a site at a remote region or inspecting later by storingthe images photographed by the CCTV at the digital set-top box connectedto the CCTV when the user goes out.

The telemedicine service means a service capable of implementing amedical treatment in catechetical between a patient and a doctor remotefrom each other with showing each of images and painful portions by thedigital set-top box.

The visual telephone service means a service capable of implementing avisual communication with the opponents at anytime and anywhere throughPIP.

The regional portal service means a service for supplying variousannouncements of public institutions in a region, regional news, timeschedule of regional meetings, visual meeting information, informationof restaurants in the region, food order service, CCTV display in theapartment complex and the like to the user.

The various services described above does not limited thereto, it can bemodified and changed without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention. For example, it is possible that a home automation service,an Internet telephone service or the like is implemented by using thedigital set-top box.

The Internet telephone service means a function of processing atelephone call free of charge or at a low cost by connecting bothcommunication networks with a gateway so as to implement a telephonecall between the IP telephone users as well as a telephone call betweenthe IP telephone user and a public switched telephone user.

The home automation service includes:

first, a house keeping for maintaining a residential environmentconvenient and easy at home by automating a light, an air conditioner, asecurity facility or the like;

second, a home management for predicting or checking a householdmanagement, a health management, a schedule management or the like byusing a personal computer;

third, a service function related to an education and a culture forrealizing an amusing and creative home life such as a culturalinformation, an education or the like through a data communication aswell as the receptions of a radio and TV or the like; and

fourth, a communication for receiving information of politics,economics, general society or the like to home through a PCcommunication network as well as for communicating with outside atgarden by a wireless telephone.

The storing operation of MPEG data during the operation of the digitalset-top box 400 configured as described above is described as follows:the audio/image signals form the television tuner 5 of the variousaudio/image input sources are inputted to the analog/digital convertingblocks 10, 12, 14 and 16, respectively; and the inputted audio/imagesignals in the form of analog are converted into digital signals in eachof the analog/digital converting blocks 10, 12, 14 and 16 and theconverted digital signals are transmitted to the audio/video switchingblock 18. Thereafter, in the audio/video switching block 18, anaudio/image signal in the form of digital of only one channel among thesignals from the four input sources inputted through the fouranalog/digital converting blocks 10, 12, 14 and 16 is transmitted to theMPEG encoder 20. The audio/image signal of the one channel transmittedto the MPEG encoder 20 is transmitted to the main control block 26 as anaudio/image signal of the channel selected by the user. The MPEG encoder20 MPEG encodes the inputted audio/image signal of the one channel tosend the signal to the main control block 24 and the subsidiary controlblock 24 stores the inputted MPEG data to the storing block 22 by index.After the storing of the MPEG data to the storing block 22 is finished,the subsidiary control block 24 sends an alarm signal to represent thefinish of the MPEG data store to the main control block 26 through thelocal BUS 46.

Here, the MPEG data stored at the storing block 22 can be a data relatedto a broadcasting program which is a record reservation previously setby the user, can be an audio/image data recorded by a movie camera orVTR, can be an audio/image data supplied by a cable broadcasting systemor a satellite broadcasting system or can be an image data recorded byCCD camera. And, the MPEG data stored at the storing block 22 can be adata of MPEG contents, e.g., inputted through VDSL line or LAN line,inputted through the network interface cards 48, 50 and 52. That is, theMPEG data stored at the storing block 22 is an MPEG data since its datainput is realized by 6 channels, specifically, the VDSL line, the LANline and the analog/digital converting blocks 10, 12, 14 and 16,selected by the user.

As a result, the storing of the MPEG data to the storing block 22 isfinished.

This MPEG data storage is carried out when the user reserves the autorecording of a broadcast program or orders the recording of audio/imageinformation from audio/image input sources by manipulating a remotecontroller (not shown).

On the other hand, the output operation of the MPEG data during theoperation of the digital set-top box 400 is described as follows.

The audio/video switching block 18 transmits the image signal suppliedfrom the four analog/digital converting blocks 10, 12, 14 and 16 and theimage signal from the MPEG decoder 28 to the screen generation block 30.At this time, the audio/video switching block 18 sends the audio signalof the channel enabled as an active screen to the digital/analogconverting block 36. The screen generation block 30 implements a PIPprocess in such a way that four image signals among the image signalsinputted from the five channels are displayed on a subsidiary screen andsends the remaining one active image signal to the OSD synthesizingblock 32 by processing as a main screen. The number of screens outputtedat the screen generation block 30 can be 5 at maximum or 1 at minimum,but it must be determined based on the remote control signal remotelyreceived by the operation of the remote controller (not shown) inresponse to the determination of the user.

In the OSD synthesizing block 32, a content of a 24 bit overlay memory(not shown) of RGB 8:8:8 is compared with a specific color key value,i.e., a color value corresponding to an OSD character or picturerequired to the screens to be printed and sends the compared value tothe video output block 34 by realizing an appropriate graphic on each ofthe screens from the screen generation block 30.

Thereafter, the video output block 34 displays on the television monitorthe screens of each of the channels realizing the graphic OSD throughthe television monitor. When the audio/video switching block 18 sendsthe image signals supplied from the four analog/digital convertingblocks 10, 12, 14 and 16 and the image signals from the MPEG decoder 28to the screen generation block 30, the audio/video switching block 18sends the audio signals of the channel enabled as the active screen,i.e., the main screen, to the audio digital/analog converting block 36simultaneously. Resultantly, the audio digital/analog converting block36 transmits the inputted audio signal in the form of digital signal tothe audio output block 38 by converting the inputted audio signal intothe digital signal, whereas the audio output block 38 outputs the audioof the channel enabled as a current active screen through the televisionspeaker.

The output operation of the MPEG data as described above is implementedwhen the user orders the output of the MPEG data stored at the storingblock 22 by controlling the remote controller (not shown).

Hereinafter, a personal video recorder (PVR) function of the digitalset-top box 400 is described with reference to the flowchart shown inFIGS. 5 to 8.

At first, a manual search and record in accordance with the flowchart,as shown in FIG. 5, is described.

If the user turns on the digital set-top box 400, an initial screen isdisplayed on a monitor of television related to the digital set-top box400 at step S10. Thereafter, the user selects “search and record” at thedisplayed initial screen, the user selects “manual search and record” asa detailed selection item at steps S12 and S14.

In the next step, a list is displayed on the monitor of the televisionat step S16; and, after the user selects a desired genre from thedisplayed list, the user selects direct view or record at “directview/record” representing direct viewing or recording at step S18.

Accordingly, in the case when the user selects the direct view at stepS20, the movie in the genre selected by the corresponding user issupplied from the digital set-top box 400 to the television to beoutput, whereby the corresponding user directly watches the movie atstep S22.

On the other hand, in case when the user selects short reservationrecord at step S24 or selects series record at step S26, the shortsubject selected by the corresponding user is reserved to be recorded orthe series is recorded at step S28.

At this time, a record list view for a flowchart shown in FIG. 6 isdescribed hereinafter.

When the user turns on the digital set-top box 400, a predeterminedinitial screen is displayed on the monitor of television related to thedigital set-top box 400 at step S30. Thereafter, the user selects“search and record” at the predetermined initial screen at step S32 andselects “record list view” as a detailed selection item at step S34.

As a result, the digital set-top box 400 displays the record listpreviously stored at the inside of the digital set-top box 400 on themonitor of the television at step S36.

A channel view of bookmark is described hereinafter with reference to aflowchart shown in FIG. 7.

If the user turns on the power of the digital set-top box 400, apredetermined initial screen is displayed on the monitor of thetelevision related to the digital set-top box 400 at step S40. After theuser selects “search and record” at the predetermined initial screen,the user selects “channel view of bookmark” as a detailed selection itemat steps S42 and S44.

Resultantly, the digital set-top box 400 displays the list of channelview of bookmark previously stored at the inside of the digital set-topbox 400 on the monitor of the television at step S46, and the userselects a direct view for a desired channel with viewing the displayedlist for the channel view of bookmark at step S48. Accordingly, the usercan directly view the broadcast program of the selected channel at stepS50.

Finally, a time schedule search and record is described hereinafter withreference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 8.

Here, the time schedule may include EPG which is automaticallydownloaded by being supplied from the service provider.

If the user turns on the power of the digital set-top box 400, apredetermined initial screen is displayed on the monitor of televisionrelated to the digital set-top box 400 at step S60, after the userselects “search and record” at the displayed predetermined initialscreen, the user selects the “time schedule search and record” as adetailed selection item at steps S62 and S64.

In the following step, a predetermined time schedule is displayed on themonitor of the television at step S66. Thereafter, the user selects adesired broadcast program from the displayed time schedule, and directlyselects “direct view/record” representing direct view or record at stepS68.

Resultantly, in case when the user selects the direct view at step S70,the corresponding user directly views the selected broadcasting programat step S72.

On the other hand, in case when the user selects short reservationrecord at step S27 or selects series record at step S76, the shortsubject selected by the corresponding user is reserved to be recorded orthe series is recorded at step S78.

Meanwhile, if the user pushes the record button in the need of therecord during the viewing of the broadcast without recording, thecontents of the broadcast after being pressed are recorded and thecontents of the broadcast before being pressed are not recorded, butonly a portion of contents of broadcast desired to be recorded by theuser is recorded. In this case, in accordance with the preferredembodiments the present invention, if the user is viewing a broadcastprogram by selecting a desired broadcast program at a schedule time listsearch and a record mode, the corresponding broadcast program istemporally stored at a storing block before a record button is pressed.Thereafter, if the user presses the record button to record the selectedbroadcast program, the present invention records the contents of thebroadcast program previously and temporally stored and the contents ofthe broadcast program after the push of the record button.

And, the time schedule of FIG. 8 can be upgraded by a program suppliedfrom the service providing device 100.

A method for implementing a real-time service system using aninteractive data communication in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention is described hereinafter withreference to a flowchart as shown in FIG. 9.

If the user turns on the power of the digital set-top box 400 at stepS100, an initial screen representing a plurality of categories, e.g.,video on demand, a regional information, a visual communication, a homeshopping, a remote monitoring, a telemedicine, a tele-education or thelike, is displayed on the monitor of the television related to thedigital set-top box 400 at step S110.

If the user inputs a key corresponding to anyone number of the categoryselected from the categories by operating the remote controller (notshown) at step S120, in the digital set-top box 400, a selection signalcorresponding to the received input signals, i.e., the desired categorynumber, is generated at step S130, and the selection signal istransmitted to the service providing device 100 through the systemoperating device 300 and the Internet 200 as well as the detailedselection items of the selected category are displayed on the monitor ofthe television at steps S140 and S150. Here, although the preferredembodiment of the present invention describes in case that the detailedselection items are selected after the generation of the selectionsignal, it is possible to change its order.

If the user selects anyone detailed selection item among the pluralityof detailed selection items displayed on the monitor of the televisionat step S160, in the digital set-top box 400, the selection signalcorresponding thereto is created and the created selection signal istransmitted to the service providing device 100 through the systemoperating device 300 and the Internet 200 at step S170.

Accordingly, in the service providing device 100, the service contentscorresponding based on the selection signal, i.e., a signal representingthe meaning of the selected detailed selection item, are transmitted tothe corresponding digital set-top box 400 through the Internet 200 andthe system operating device 300, whereas in the digital set-top box 400,the received service contents are displayed on the monitor of thetelevision at step S180.

The real time content service in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention described above is realized for freeand chargeable contents. In case of the chargeable contents, e.g., VOD,charging is automatically implemented by the automatic charging device(not shown).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In accordance with the present invention described above, it canovercome the limit of a conventional Internet network in speed byemploying VDSL transmission method through a system operating device ofa system operator as a franchise of a cyber marker and, at the sametime, enables a smooth interactive communication between a serviceproviding device of a service provider and a digital set-top box of auser, thereby realizing a high quality real time interactive service ofa DVD class for various contents.

While the present invention has been described with respect to thepreferred embodiments, other modifications and variations may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention asset forth in the following claims.

1. A real-time service system using an interactive data communication,the system comprising: a plurality of digital set-top boxes of users forreplaying service contents selected by the user in real time through atelevision by being supplied through a telephone line of a veryhigh-data rate digital subscriber line (VDSL), wherein the servicecontents comprise audio/image signals from the telephone line, whereinthe audio/image signals are transmitted to an MPEG data storing block,and wherein the plurality of digital set-top boxes of users furthercomprise an audio/image switching block for replaying through thetelevision the service contents received from the MPEG data storingblock and selected by the users, wherein each of the plurality of thedigital set-top boxes comprises a screen generation block for employingan image signal of anyone channel among the plurality of channels ofimages signals from the audio/video switching block as a main screen andfor employing the other channels of the image signals as a subsidiaryscreen, an OSD synthesizing block for realizing an appropriate graphicOSD on the screen from the screen generation block by comparing acontent of an overlay memory of RGB divided in a predetermined ratiowith a specific color key value, a video output block for displaying theimage screen from the OSD synthesizing block to a television monitor, onaudio digital/analog converting block for converting the audio signalsof the active channels to the main screen supplied from the audio/videoswitching block, and an audio output block for outputting the sound fromthe audio digital/analog converting block to outside through atelevision speaker; a number of system operating device installed by apredetermined region unit and connected to the plurality of digitalset-top boxes of the users in a corresponding region via a telephonefine of the VDSL for supplying the service contents required at acorresponding set-top box in real time by the interactive datacommunication with an arbitrary digital set-top box; and a serviceproviding device for storing various service contents received from acontents providing device and for supplying the corresponding servicecontents to a corresponding system operating device in real time inresponse to a service content request from the system operating deviceinputted through the Internet.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thesystem operating device includes: a storing block for storing theservice contents supplied from the service providing device; a mediaserver for receiving the service contents supplied from the serviceproviding device by connecting to the Internet through a cable or anoptical cable and for temporally storing the same at the storing blockand outputting the same; a multi-point distribution unit for setting aplurality of transmission paths for the service contents outputted fromthe media server and outputting the same; and a private branch exchangefor transmitting the service contents from the multi-point distributionunit to a corresponding digital set-top box through a is telephone line.3. The system of claim 2, wherein the media server incorporates thereina function of a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) router to implementthe VOIP service.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the media server andthe multi-point distribution unit are connected to each other through acommunication network.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein thetransmission rate between the media server and the multi-pointdistribution unit is expressed in gigabits.
 6. The system of claim 1,wherein the service providing device includes: a first storing block forstoring contents related to various services; a streaming server fortransmitting the service contents stored at the first storing block tothe system operating device through the Internet and for inputting theinputted service contents to the first storing block; a switching blockinstalled between the first storing block and the streaming server forswitching a is movement of the service contents between the firststoring block and the streaming server; a web/database server fortransmitting the various service contents supplied from the contentsproviding device through the Internet to rho streaming server; a secondstoring block for storing a subsidiary information of the servicecontent stored at the first storing block; and a manager personalcomputer (PC) for implementing search, insert, delete, update andreconstruction for the subsidiary information stored at the secondstoring block by sending a data manipulation language (DML) to theweb/database server.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first storingblock are separated to a multiple number in a physical sense, but theyare one storing space in a logical sense and are expandable.
 8. Thesystem of claim 6, wherein the steaming server is at least one.
 9. Thesystem of claim 6, wherein the subsidiary information stored at thesecond storing block is the serial number and position of each servicecontents, interface information of each service operating device,interface information of the contents providing device, charginginformation and information required for the operation of the otherservice providing devices.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein, in thedigital set-top box, personal information, including name, address, theinformation of credit card, identification (ID) card information, of theuser of a corresponding digital set-top box are additionally stored inthe ROM or are stored at a memory including a magnetic card, an IC cardor hardware or the like, and a device to access the magnetic card, ICcard or hardware or the like is attached to the digital set-top box tobe utilized as the personal information and security and charginginformation.